William Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was a legendary American actor, the epitome of the suave, sophisticated, and witty leading man during Hollywood’s Golden Age. A major star at MGM, his career was defined by his role as the dapper, cocktail-loving detective Nick Charles in the classic comedy-mystery The Thin Man (1934), a performance that earned him his first Academy Award nomination. The film launched a beloved series and one of cinema’s most magical on-screen pairings with Myrna Loy, with whom he would ultimately make 14 films. He further demonstrated his mastery of sophisticated comedy with another Oscar-nominated performance in the screwball classic My Man Godfrey (1936), and later earned a third nomination for playing the blustering patriarch in the beloved family comedy Life with Father (1947).
Birthday
- July 28, 1892
Place of Birth
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Also Known As
- William Horatio Powell, William H. Powell
